—strengthens access to justice
THE People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) government has undertaken the largest expansion of Guyana’s judiciary in the country’s post-independence history.
It has appointed an unprecedented number of judges, magistrates, and judicial officers since 2020 to improve the delivery of justice and reduce nation-wide case backlogs.
This is according to Attorney General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs Mohabir Anil Nandlall, S.C., during his “Issues in the News” programme on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips administered the oath of office to six new magistrates and five commissioners of title at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) at Liliendaal.
These latest appointments add to a series of judicial appointments made under the PPP/C administration, including 15 Magistrates; eight Commissioners of Title; 16 Puisne Judges and seven Justices of Appeal between 2020 and 2026.
Minister Nandlall said the government’s sustained investment in human capital and judicial infrastructure demonstrates its commitment to building a modern, efficient and independent justice system that better serves citizens.
“I say without fear of contradiction that at no point in the independent history of Guyana have there been more appointments made to the judiciary and magistracy than between 2020 and now,” the AG affirmed.
He added, “The judiciary has received more resources from 2020 to now than at any other period in Guyana’s history… human resources, financial resources and infrastructural resources.”
The AG noted that while the government has invested heavily in expanding the judiciary through appointments, the construction and rehabilitation of courthouses, and increased financial support, the Constitution guarantees the judiciary’s independence.
“Our duty in the executive is to provide resources to the judiciary to ensure that it discharges its constitutional mandate. Government does not control, cannot control and does not wish to control the judiciary,” he stressed.
The five new Commissioners of Title are expected to bolster the operations of the Land Courts in Demerara, Berbice and Essequibo, helping to accelerate the hearing of land disputes, while the six additional magistrates will enhance the magistracy’s capacity to provide more timely and efficient access to justice for citizens across Guyana.
The expansion forms part of the PPP/C government’s broader agenda to modernise the justice sector by investing in the personnel, infrastructure and institutional capacity needed to support Guyana’s rapidly growing economy and expanding population.
